How to Get Your Part 107 Certificate
The full Part 107 certification process: eligibility, FTN/IACRA registration, scheduling the test, Form 8710-13, TSA vetting, and certificate issuance.
Passing the knowledge test is one step in a longer process. Here’s the whole thing, start to finish, sourced from FAA Advisory Circular 107-2A Chapter 6 and 14 CFR § 107.61.
1. Check you’re eligible
Per 14 CFR § 107.61, to qualify for a Remote Pilot Certificate with a small UAS rating you must:
- Be at least 16 years old.
- Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English (the FAA can place operating limitations on a certificate if a medical condition prevents meeting this).
- Not know or have reason to know of a physical or mental condition that would interfere with safely operating a small UAS.
- Demonstrate aeronautical knowledge — either by passing the initial knowledge test, or, if you already hold a part 61 pilot certificate (other than student pilot) and meet § 61.56 flight-review currency, by completing online training instead.
Most first-time applicants take the knowledge test path below.
2. Register for an FTN in IACRA
Since January 13, 2020, every applicant must establish an FAA Tracking Number (FTN) before taking any FAA airman knowledge test (AC_107-2A.pdf, § 6.6). Register at iacra.faa.gov/iacra — this is a one-time step, and your FTN then appears on your Airman Knowledge Test Report in place of the old Applicant ID number.
3. Schedule and take the knowledge test
Test scheduling runs through PSI Services LLC, not IACRA, at faa.psiexams.com. Find the nearest FAA-approved Knowledge Testing Center there and book an appointment. On test day, bring government-issued photo identification — the center won’t admit you without it (AC_107-2A.pdf, § 6.7.1).
The exam itself is 60 scored questions plus 5 unscored validation questions, 120 minutes, 70% to pass (UAG_Information_Bulletin.pdf, p. 4 — see what’s actually on the test for the full current weighting). The test center supplies the printed testing supplement, scratch paper, and a writing instrument, and PSI’s software has a built-in four-function calculator if you don’t want to bring your own.
4. Submit Form 8710-13
Once you’ve passed, you apply using FAA Form 8710-13, the Remote Pilot Certificate and/or Rating Application (AC_107-2A.pdf, § 6.4.1). You have two options:
- Online, via IACRA (the fast path). Log in, start a new “Initial Remote Pilot” application, and enter your 17-digit Knowledge Test Exam ID — your test report uploads to IACRA automatically, so there’s nothing to mail. You sign electronically and submit straight to the Airman Registry.
- Paper. Mail your original test report with the application to: DOT/FAA, Airmen Certification Branch (AFB-720), P.O. Box 25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125.
This choice matters more than it looks. The AC is explicit that a first-time applicant who files on paper receives no temporary certificate at all while waiting for the permanent one — only the IACRA path produces a temporary certificate you can print and start flying under right away. The AC itself recommends the online option for exactly this reason.
5. TSA vetting
After the FAA receives your application, the Transportation Security Administration vets every applicant before a temporary certificate is issued (AC_107-2A.pdf, § 6.5). If you used the IACRA path, this is the basic-information check that happens automatically before your temporary certificate becomes available to print; you’ll get a confirmation email when it clears.
“If the vetting is successful, the FAA will issue a permanent Remote Pilot Certificate. If the vetting is not successful, the applicant will be disqualified and a temporary or permanent pilot certificate will not be issued. Individuals who believe they improperly failed a security threat assessment may appeal the decision to the TSA.”
6. Get your certificate
If vetting succeeds, you print your own temporary Airman Certificate from IACRA (if you applied online), and the FAA mails the permanent certificate once remaining internal processing is complete (AC_107-2A.pdf, § 6.4.1). You’re now a certificated Remote Pilot and may act as remote pilot in command under 14 CFR Part 107.
What we can’t tell you yet
The current test fee isn’t published in any FAA or PSI document we’ve sourced — it’s set by PSI and can change independently of the rules above, so check faa.psiexams.com directly before you schedule rather than trusting a number on a study site. We’re tracking this in docs/faa-facts.md and will add it here once it’s sourced properly.
Next: find out exactly what’s on the test before you schedule it, start practicing real questions, or take the full 60-question mock exam to see where you stand. Back to the exam hub.
Frequently asked questions
- How old do I need to be to get a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate?
- At least 16 years old, per 14 CFR § 107.61, along with being able to read, speak, write, and understand English and having no physical or mental condition that would interfere with safely operating a small UAS.
- What is an FTN and do I need one before the test?
- An FAA Tracking Number, established in IACRA at iacra.faa.gov/iacra before you can take any FAA airman knowledge test — required since January 13, 2020 (AC_107-2A.pdf, § 6.6).
- Should I apply online or by paper?
- Online, through IACRA, if at all possible. A first-time applicant who files on paper gets no temporary certificate while waiting for the permanent one; only the IACRA path produces a temporary certificate you can print immediately once TSA vetting clears (AC_107-2A.pdf, § 6.4.1).
- Does the TSA have to clear me before I get a certificate?
- Yes — the TSA vets every applicant before a temporary Remote Pilot Certificate is issued. A successful vetting leads to a permanent certificate; an unsuccessful one disqualifies the applicant, who may appeal to the TSA (AC_107-2A.pdf, § 6.5).